The first European travellers who crossed the Hottentots Holland Mountains followed the track used by game and the local Hottentots – the name, Gantouw, means Elands’ Pass. Until Sir Lowry’s Pass was built, thousands of wagons used this track, scoring the rocks with their brake shoes. Recently members of the Bridle Path Association rode along the old Cape wagon route again – page 6. Photo: Annalize Mouton

Number 30 : June 2008

Spread the word

Village Life was not started as a commercial venture; it was simply a village child that grew into bigger shoes. From the start, we wrote about the things that interested us: nature, history, people. The positive feedback from readers indicated that there are many others who care about more than TV-star gossip.

Until the previous issue, the magazine was distributed nationally, albeit to a relatively small number of outlets. Rising distribution costs and a glut of magazines on retail shelves have forced us to review this position, and we decided to focus on subscribers to keep the magazine alive. From this issue the magazine will only be available by subscription and at selected retail outlets in some Western Cape rural towns and villages. We are relying on our readers to spread the word amongst friends: to subscribe and to give subscriptions as gifts (many readers already do).

Hennie Aucamp wrote in a letter some time ago: “Each issue of Village Life is a hymn and a feel-good poem.” We appreciate the compliment, and believe this song should continue to be heard.

Contents

2: At the office

Letters and other important matters, including the names of the three subscribers who won books in our lucky draw

4: The face of South Africa

Historic Boplaas in the Koue Bokkeveld, best known as the birthplace of author Boerneef, has been in the van der Merwe family for nine generations – by Maré Mouton. View PDF

6: On the old Cape wagon route

Members of the Bridle Path Association follow in the tracks of early travellers, riding on horseback from Stellenbosch, over the Gantouw and Houw Hoek, to Swellendam

12: All work together at Mapusha Weavers

A women’s cooperative in Limpopo Province produces rugs and other items that is sold as far as America. Text by Linky Matsie, photographs by Briget Ganske

Dr Duncan Miller highlights the history of some ancient rocks along the Cape coastal areas. Charles Darwin visited Cape Town in 1836 to view a particular granite formation at Sea Point (not 1856, as stated in the article)

34: SA gets its first book town

Dr Darryl Earl David became fascinated with the book town concept, which originated in Wales and have spread all over the world, and chose Richmond in the Karoo

38: Elandsvlei, oasis in the Ceres Karoo

Researcher Annemarie van Zyl traces the history of this farm that functioned almost as a village, and of the Hough family, who lived there for seven generations

44: How they went farming

Prof Elwyn Jenkins recalls some of the books written about the travails of early farmers in South Africa

48: Seen from a hide

Veteran birding photographer Nico Myburgh recounts what he saw happening around his hide one day in arid Bushmanland. Read full text

52: From polenta to pap

Our Country Table: The ancient Italian staple is actually what we know as maize-meal porridge

54: Camera work

A portrait by Annalize Mouton that would do any Old Dutch Master proud – but done with a digital camera

56: Parting shot

On 17 May, an old muzzle-loading cannon was again fired at Hessequaskloof between Stormsvlei and Swellendam, a reenactment of the call-up system used by the Dutch colonial authorities 200 years ago. View as PDF